


Courage of Heart

by Aeiouna



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: 5 Things, M/M, Mute Red, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 09:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17242034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeiouna/pseuds/Aeiouna
Summary: Five times Green was too scared to tell Red he likes him, and one time he did.





	Courage of Heart

**_I_ **

When they were kids, Green didn't think anything of it. In fact, he talked so much, and was such a little prick, that he never really let Red get a word in edgewise. He had noticed that Red never called his Pokémon's attacks out, but he assumed that was so Green wouldn't know his strategy.

It wasn't until about three and a half years later, when Red returned from Mt. Silver, that it hit him. He and Daisy had gone to Red's house to check up on him after he had gotten a chance to recover from living on a snow capped mountain, and found himself cocking his head as Red was interacting with his mother. She was talking but he was not. Instead, he was flailing his hands around. At least, that's what it looked like to Green. "What is he doing?"

Daisy rolled her eyes. "You're really dense, you know that. Honestly Green, we've known him since he was born. He's signing."

"But isn't that for people who can't hear?" Green asked, "His mom is talking like he can."

"Red's mute," Daisy jabbed him in the stomach. "He can hear, but he can't talk. So he communicates in sign, but people around him can talk to him like normal." Her voice then dropped to a whisper, "You know, for someone who crushes on him as hard as you do, I'm surprised you didn't realize that."

Green shot a glare at his sister, "I do not have a crush on him!" he hissed.

"Suuuuuuuuure you don't," she giggled as she walked over to Red and his mom, "Are you coming, Green?"

Green realized he had been frozen in place. He followed his sister.

* * *

**_II_ **

Daisy leaned in the doorway of Green's room. "They're looking for you at Viridian Gym again. What have you been doing?"

Green looked over at his sister, books strewn across his floor and a tablet playing videos propped up on his bed. "Learning sign language."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Why?" she asked, drawing out the letters.

"So I can understand Red, duh," he spat back like it made perfect sense.

"And yet, you don't have a crush on him," she shook her head as she walked away.

"I heard that!" he called back, "I _do not_ have a crush on him!"

"Are you sure about that?" Daisy smiled, an eyebrow raised, "Seems like this is a lot of work for someone you don't have a crush on."

"Sign language is hard to learn, and I don't even need to actually use it, is all!" Green pouts.

Daisy counts the books on the floor. "Six different books, and a video. It can't be that hard. Admit it, you have a crush on Red."

Green tossed one of the softer books in Daisy's general direction. "Why don't you just leave me alone?!"

"Why don't you just admit you think Red's lips are utterly kissable?"

Daisy took off running before Green could throw another book at her.

* * *

**_III_ **

Green definitely had a crush on Red. And he was definitely going to tell him.

The shoreline of Fuschia City was unusually warm, probably a side effect of the volcano eruption. He took his jacket off and set it beside him. He laid down and watched the clouds pass by.

He didn't realize he had fallen asleep until a shadow looming over him woke him up. He rubbed his eyes. It was Red.

Green sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Oh, hey Red. What's up?"

"I was looking for you. You sister said you'd be here," he signed.

Green's heart skipped a beat at the fact he could understand it. He stammered a bit. "Oh... oh yeah! Though why were you looking for me?"

"I just wanted to hang out with you, is that so wrong?" Red's fingers moved quickly as he signed, Green was almost unable to keep up.

"No, no. Not at all," Green stood up, grabbed his jacket, and slung an arm around Red.

But he never says anything. Not that time.

* * *

**_IV_ **

Green felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned. It was Red. "Oh. Hey. What's up Red?"

Red's fingers still flew as he signed, but Green was better able to understand him now. "I'm going to Johto. Just to visit. No staying on mountains or anything like that. Promise. Would you care to join me?"

Green's eyes lit up at the proposition. Maybe this meant... maybe this meant that Red felt for him what he felt for Red. Maybe this was his way of getting them alone together: a trip to Johto. He didn't even realize he was lost in his thoughts until there was a rather hard smack to his shoulder. "Jeez Red, I know you can't speak but did you have to hit me _that_ hard to get my attention?"

"So are you in?" was all Red said... signed in response. "The ferry's leaving soon — I really can't stand the magnet train. Too quick, makes me ill. However, if we use your Pidgeot to fly us to Vermilion, we can just about make it in time."

"Yeah, I'm in! Let's go!" Green reached for the Poké Ball that held Pidgeot and let him free.

The flight to Vermilion is a short one, thanks to Pidgeot, and they make it on the ferry just in time.

"This is gonna be great!" Red signed to Green, "Two best bros on a vacation together!"

Oh.

_Oh._

So Red didn't feel the same.

Okay.

"Yeah," Green forced a smile, "Two best bros. That's all we are."

* * *

**_V_ **

Green nudged Red as they sat in the green room of the Pokémon World Tournament and smiled. "I'm glad you agreed to come to this. I was worried you'd want to stay home."

A smirk plastered itself along Red's face. "I could say the same thing about you, Viridian," he signed.

Green shuddered. Red had taken to calling him "Viridian" as a nickname and he loved it. "What? I'm not the one who spends three years on the top of a snowy mountain!"

"I'm not the one who is a certified Gym Leader," Red signed back, "You haven't abandoned your gym since you got it."

Green shrugged off the comment. "I haven't had a challenger in six months. I can take a vacation."

Red just nodded. Green glanced over at him. He was beautiful.

He had to do it now. He had to psyche himself up.

But then he heard someone call Red's name. Someone was challenging the Champions Tournament. His confession would have to wait.

But by the time both their battles were finished, Green had lost all of his courage to say anything.

* * *

**_VI_ **

"Where are you going?" Red signed as he leaned into the doorway to Green's bedroom. "Daisy let me in, by the way."

Green stopped what he was doing. "Packing. For Alola. They asked me to be a master in their Battle Tree. Didn't they ask you as well? I figured that they'd be clamoring for the infamous Red to join their ranks."

"They asked me, I didn't know if I wanted to go. But since you're going, I don't have any reason not to anymore," came Red's response.

"Well then go get packing, they're picking me up in 30 minutes!" Green laughed as he pushed Red out of the doorway so he can go home.

This was it. They've been playing this song and dance for ten years. Even if Red didn't feel the same, even if he just wanted to be friends.

Green had to tell him.

But he chickened out when they were on the ride to Vermilion.

He chickened out on the ferry ride to Castelia City in Unova.

He chickened out on the ride to Mistralton City to catch their plane to Alola.

He chickened out on the plane ride to Alola.

But, finally. Once they were settled. He turned to Red. "Yo, Red?"

"Yeah, Green?"

"So, I've got something I've been holding in for, well, _years_."

Red cocked an eyebrow, but his hands gesture, "Continue."

"I'vehadacrushonyousincewewere15," Green spits it out in one breath.

"Whoa, whoa. Slower, please."

"I've had a crush on you since we were 15."

"Really? I... I've had a crush on you since we were, like, 13!"

Green felt the wind knocked out of him. Red's crushed on him just as long? Longer, even? "But... when we went to Johto together... you said we were just best bros."

"Cause I thought you didn't like me that way."

"God we're idiots."

Red silenced Green with a kiss. "But you're _my_ idiot. Love you, Viridian."

Green felt the heat rise to his cheeks, but he didn't mind.

"I love you too, Red."


End file.
